Mohawk begins making snow, plans weekend opening

CORNWALL — The holiday season can be fraught with anxiety for staff and crew at Mohawk Ski Area. Just a few weeks ago Marketing and Sales Director Trish Morrissey was even asking around if anyone knew of any “snow dances.â€

If the weather cooperates, the ski season can start as early as Thanksgiving.

This wasn’t one of those years, however. Up until the end of November, there was only one light snow, and a lot of cold rain.

But a cold front came in on the tail of a Dec. 1 rainstorm, and Mohawk has been making snow since then, on five trails. The plan was to open this Friday or Saturday, just about the same time it did last year.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac website is not too encouraging for the rest of this year, though.  

Just who started the rumors of an early and very snowy winter? Not old farmers. Predictions in the almanac are for milder conditions and less snow than normal. But one has to wonder about the book’s predictive prowess when prominent on the Dublin, New Hampshire-based almanac’s website homepage in November was a “guess our first snow contest.†Don’t they know?

Yet it has been far from a gloomy atmosphere at the ski lodge, which has been open daily for weeks, taking care of the business of arranging seasonal equipment rentals, selling season passes, accepting job applications and basically being poised to let skiers jump on the lifts as soon as possible.

“The cycle of life in Cornwall changes once the mountain opens,†Morrissey said.

There’s shopping, too. Think holidays and whiling away the time in the revamped ski shop while the kids are skiing. Morrissey said the shop is open now and has an assortment of ski-themed items for sale — clothing, home decor and gift items — at  reasonable prices.

A new website is up and running, still at mohawkmtn.com, but easier to use and “nicer looking.â€

All pertinent information about ski life and special events is available at the website. A track of users, however, shows people use it primarily as it is meant to be used: Most click on “conditions,†which features a list of trails; they are off in 8 to 10 seconds.

Coming up on Dec. 18 is the annual first-experience event, where first-time skiers and snowboarders literally get a free pass to try out either sport.

Morrissey said 800 to 900 people are expected.

This year, Mohawk will partner with FISH to support local food pantries. A food drive will be launched that day, with everyone using the mountain asked to bring a nonperishable food item.

To get the latest in conditions and trail openings go to mohawkmtn.com or Mohawk Mtn Ski Area on Facebook.

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